Happy Halloween! Our Radio Flyer Fire Truck

It's no secret that we absolutely love Halloween! Last year when Baker was only a few months old Brett traveled out of state to a Fire Conference and brought home the most precious little fire fighter uniform. This season it fit him perfectly and this costume just fell right into place! He ADORES everything fire related (no surprise!) and we can't seem to keep him out of his new ride. The first time he saw it he kept telling us Thank You over and over and over.. It just melted my heart! We've joked that maybe we should just turn it into a toddler bed since he loves it so much. ;) The fire truck fits right over his Radio Flyer wagon and it's going to make Trick or Treating around town so fun and easy! Especially if he gets tired! We've had so much fun this season already with fall festivals, Boo at the Zoo, and Trunk-or-Treating. We can't wait to hit the streets this weekend for some more festivities around town. The City of Columbiana hosts "Monster Walk" this weekend plus Baker will get to Trick Or Treat for real for the first time! We absolutely cannot wait!

Happy Halloween from Chief Baker!

Direct Link to purchase your own Radio Flyer wagon at the bottom of the post!

My inspiration for this actually came from a fire truck wagon made of cardboard. And of course Brett wanted to upgrade the idea! I headed to work one day and a few hours later he was sending me pictures of his progress. I literally gasped out loud when I got his photos! It was everything I wanted and then some! HE KNOCKED IT OUT OF THE PARK. HOME RUN. Once I saw the initial design he came up with I started to envision a little wooden fire truck toy. Similar to the miniature handmade trucks and toys he's built before.. I wanted it to look like a life size replica! And I was so excited to finish it that we started on the detail work as soon as I got home that day. We were up pretty late but sometimes when my creative wheels start turning and we're knee deep in a project the adrenaline hits and I just don't want to stop until I can physically see what I've been dreaming up in my mind. It's an addiction! A DIY addiction! We used all scrap wood from the wood shop, as well. The overall cost was minimal. Nearly free!

Fall on the Farm | 2015

Fall is in full swing and we're enjoying our second autumn in the farmhouse this year! I absolutely love Christmas time but I'll be so sad to pack up the fall decor after Thanksgiving. It's such a beautiful season. It's been a busy few months for us. We celebrated Baker's 2nd birthday in September and he saw the beach for the very first time in October. There is nothing better than seeing your children experience things for the first time. Everything is magical through their eyes! 

Brett has been super busy with work and he's been out of town quite a bit. Our kitchen is still torn apart, but we're slowly (very slowly) piecing it back together. The truth is I know exactly what I want to do. Knock down a major wall and rearrange the entire kitchen layout. But, that would mean having to install new flooring throughout the entire space. Unfortunately, that's just not an option right now. Lack of time and money are the two biggest contributing factors to the progress. But, if I'm being honest, the idea of not being able to implement my vision is the biggest mental hurdle. We have a plan to do a "band-aide" makeover of sorts. It will be a huge improvement in-and-of itself. But, it's still going to cost money. And there is something that just feels so wrong about spending money on renovations that we know we're going to change all over again. Especially when the budget is already tight! Does that make sense? That's the truth. I'm holding myself back. Which is totally non-instictual for me. Or for us, as a team.

For those who have asked.. Yes, the kitchen is functional! All of our appliances are still intact. We just removed all the large cabinetry and finishes that we knew were going to be pulled out anyways. We raised the ceiling and completed the electrical. We also reframed a new walk-in pantry. Those are all huge components! And as awful as it looks, I actually don't hate it. It's so open now that we've removed the upper cabinets. And it's been a good thing to have all this time in the space to really think about the design, layout and finish materials we want to use. I've already changed my mind about 10 times. A lesson in patience indeed! 

Property maintenance takes up about 90% of our time outside of our jobs! No surprise there. Anytime anyone asks us about our experience with acreage or owning a "fixer upper" or what they need to know to do it themselves - our answer is always the same: Work. You have to be willing to work. Skill set and knowledge are important, but I thoroughly believe if someone wants to learn something they will put forth the effort to do so. If you have the work ethic and you're willing to do the physical labor that comes along with caring for land then you can do it. No matter how many projects we have going on at once - the grass still needs to be mowed. This lifestyle and the responsibility of owning a home like this is certainly not for everyone! Free time seems extra hard to come by. However, it's something that we truly love so we make it a priority to make it work. It comes with many sacrifices but for us the rewards outweigh the cons. Slow project progress and long days but so much pride in ownership! 

Among other things, Brett recently finished a little cedar plant stand for me for the front yard. He always makes time to help me out with my projects and I'm so thankful for that. Every time I see something in our home that I know his hands have touched it makes my heart so happy. I know he works so hard and puts so much love into his work. It means the world to me to he gives so much of himself to our family. 

I wanted to share some fall photos with you to commemorate this season in our home! I love looking back each year to see what's changed from season to season. We can't wait for more fall fun.. trick-or-treating with Baker, Thanksgiving with our families and more evenings around the fire pit. I'm trying not to take this time for granted. Soaking up every little experience with Baker in this season of life! I sincerely hope you're all doing the same with your families, as well! 

(Edited to add.. Shutterfly featured our fall porch in this fun roundup! See it Here!)

Enjoy and Happy Fall from Stillwater Farm!